America's national interests in the Asia-Pacific region are deep and enduring. We seek to maintain a balance of power that fosters a peaceful expansion of free societies, free trade, free markets, and free commons, air, sea, space, and cyber. These are values that we share with increasing numbers of Asia's citizens. For 7 decades, administrations of both parties have worked with our friends and allies in the region to uphold this rules-based order and to enlist new partners in this shared effort, an effort that now extends to states like Indonesia and Vietnam. No country has benefited more from a peaceful regional order in the Asia-Pacific region than China. Unfortunately, we increasingly see a pattern of behavior from China that suggests that some of our highest hopes for our relationship are not materializing and that call into question for nations across the Pacific whether China's rise will, in fact, be peaceful.

Maritime security strategy in the Asia-Pacific Region : hearing before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, first session, September 17, 2015.

This report outlines the Department of Defense's (DOD's) strategy with regard to maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region. Recognizing the importance of the Asia-Pacific region and its maritime domain for the security of the U.S., DOD is focused on safeguarding freedom of the seas, deterring conflict and coercion, and promoting adherence to international law and standards. The report outlines four lines of effort DOD is employing: (1) strengthening our military capacity; (2) working with our allies and partners from NE Asia to the Indian Ocean to build their capacity to address potential challenges; (3) leveraging military diplomacy to build greater transparency, reduce the risk of miscalculation or conflict, and promote shared maritime rules of the road; (4) working to strengthen regional security institutions and encourage the development of an open and effective regional security architecture. Figures. This is a print on demand report.

In the twenty-first century, the Indo-Pacific, which spans from the western Pacific Ocean to the western Indian Ocean along the eastern coast of Africa, has emerged as a crucial geostrategic region for trade, investment, energy supplies, cooperation, and competition. It presents complex maritime security challenges and interlocking economic interests that require the development of an overarching multilateral security framework. This volume develops common approaches by focusing on geopolitical challenges, transnational security concerns, and multilateral institution-building and cooperation. The chapters, written by a cross-section of practitioners, diplomats, policymakers, and scholars from the three major powers discussed (United States, China, India) explain the opportunities and risks in the Indo-Pacific region and identify specific naval measures needed to enhance maritime security in the region. Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific opens by introducing the Indo-Pacific and outlining the roles of China, India, and the United States in various maritime issues in the region. It then focuses on the security challenges presented by maritime disputes, naval engagement, legal issues, sea lanes of communication, energy transport, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, as well as by nontraditional threats, such as piracy, terrorism, and weapons proliferation. It compares and contrasts the roles and perspectives of the key maritime powers, analyzing the need for multilateral cooperation to overcome the traditional and nontraditional challenges and security dilemma. This shows that, in spite of their different interests, capabilities, and priorities, Washington, Beijing and New Delhi can and do engage in cooperation to deal with transnational security challenges. Lastly, the book describes how to promote maritime cooperation by establishing or strengthening multilateral mechanisms and measures that would reduce the prospects for conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.

Leading academics from around the world, who specialize in analysing maritime strategic issues, deliberate the impact of the American 'pivot' or 're-balance' strategy, and the 'Air-Sea Battle' operational concept, on the maritime power and posture of a number of selected states. Intending to strengthen US economic, diplomatic, and security engagement throughout the Asia-Pacific, both bilaterally and multilaterally, the re-balance stands out as one of the Obama administration's most far-sighted and ambitious foreign policy initiatives.